What causes hemoglobin levels in the blood to drop?

Low hemoglobin levels are more common among patients than high hemoglobin levels. Although in general the hemoglobin indicator can change - it either increases or decreases.

You need to understand what is meant by high hemoglobin .

In itself, it is a complex protein that makes up red blood cells. It is necessary to transport carbon dioxide with oxygen from the body's cells to the lungs and back.

There are established standards for the presence of hemoglobin protein in the blood , measured in grams per deciliter of blood fluid. So, for men, adequate indicators are 135-160 g/l, and for women – 120-140 g/liter. In this case we are talking about healthy adults.

An increase in hemoglobin, as well as a decrease in it, indicates certain problems in the body. Then it will be necessary to reduce hemoglobin to normal, eliminating the factors that caused it to increase. We need to understand what is meant by an increase in hemoglobin and why this happens.

Increased hemoglobin: what does this mean?

If the hemoglobin norm is exceeded, it is worth asserting that the number of its carrier cells has increased .

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Kovaleva Elena Anatolyevna

Doctor-Laboratory Assistant. 14 years of experience in clinical diagnostic services.

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Because of this, the blood is more viscous than necessary, and it becomes more difficult for it to move through the vessels. Because of this, clots and blood clots may appear, and the risk of heart attacks and strokes increases.

When hemoglobin levels decrease in the blood, it makes sense to talk about iron deficiency anemia. When hemoglobin increases, you should also talk about certain problems in the body .

Often, its high rate is the result of the presence of chronic conditions. The concentration of red blood cells may increase due to a decrease in blood fluid volume. An increase in hemoglobin can be provoked by hypoxia - lack of oxygen. In addition, certain products increase it.

What is the danger?

A low level of hemoglobin indicates that a person must radically reconsider his lifestyle, diet, and so on. However, it is very difficult to reliably identify the reasons for its decrease. Therefore, having received a blood test, you should, without waiting for the unpleasant consequences of low hemoglobin, try to normalize its level. It is also necessary to try to identify the causes of the problem.

As already mentioned, hemoglobin is a combination of protein and iron, the destruction of which leads to anemia. The most common cause of low hemoglobin is a lack of oxygen or iron, as well as metabolic disorders. The main danger of this problem is that low hemoglobin cannot be diagnosed solely by appearance. Symptoms may not appear for a long time or may be completely absent. Signs become more obvious when hemoglobin levels drop further. The symptoms are similar to those of chronic fatigue. This includes shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and general fatigue.

Also among the signs of a lack of oxygen in the blood are dry skin, chapped lips, hair loss and brittle nails. Many people believe that the main sign of low hemoglobin in the blood is pale skin. However, this sign is not the main one, since it may simply be a physiological feature of the body or indicate other diseases. While pale or blue ears and lips are worth paying attention to, as this is a clear sign of a lack of iron in the blood.

Increased hemoglobin: reasons

There are natural reasons for increased hemoglobin . For example, it can often change its level during pregnancy without being associated with a particular disorder. The following reasons provoke an increase in the level of red blood cell protein without the presence of certain diseases.

1. Morning or evening . The level of hemoglobin in the blood can change throughout the day. As a rule, it is higher in the morning and lower in the evening. The highest hemoglobin level is observed at approximately 8 a.m., the lowest at 8 p.m. The difference at different times of the day may differ, usually by approximately one unit.
2. Hydration
   . The level of protein largely depends on the joint work of dissolved substances and water. Due to hydration, plasma levels in the blood increase, and as a result, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit increase.
3. Smoking . For those who smoke, exceeding the norm of hemoglobin is normal. This cannot be called a disease; it is a reaction to the smoker’s lack of oxygen, because he inhales little of it, but a lot of smoke. This becomes a constant phenomenon, and as a result, all tissues and organs suffer from a lack of oxygen, and all normal vital processes are disrupted. As a result, the concentration of red blood cells increases, which helps extract more oxygen. It is recommended to give up this bad habit.
4. Hemoglobin is also elevated in people who live full-time at high altitudes . The fact is that at altitudes the air is thinner and contains more oxygen. Therefore, the body is forced to increase hemoglobin to provide all organs and tissues with oxygen and normal functioning of the body.

specific factors can also increase protein concentration :

1. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
   (COPD), which is a consequence of constant narrowing of the breathing passages in the respiratory system. As a result, organs experience a lack of oxygen. If the disease is advanced, more blood cells are produced, and the hemoglobin level, accordingly, also increases.
2. Severe dehydration increases plasma levels, and as a result, the volume of blood that circulates also increases. Dehydration itself does not affect the amount of red blood cells, but as a result the blood volume becomes larger, their number increases in general, and this manifests itself through an increase in the level of blood protein, which we are talking about.
3. Hemoglobin is often elevated in those suffering from emphysema .
4. The cause can also be found in heart failure . Relating to cognitive disorders of the heart, the blue type congenital defect causes a person's skin to acquire a bluish or bluish tone. The reason is that the blood that passes through the lungs and enters the larger circulatory circuit loses oxygen. The body reacts to this by increasing red blood cells, and test results will be appropriate.
5. Elevated hemoglobin is sometimes observed in those who suffer from liver and kidney tumors. We may also be talking about other disorders of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
6. Another reason is Vaquez-Osler disease . This disease is a type of myeloproliferative disorder in which bone tissue produces too many red blood cells, increasing hemoglobin.

Causes of low hemoglobin

There are many reasons why the body has low levels of hemoglobin in the blood:

• Blood loss . They can be obvious or hidden. For example, the cause of a decrease in hemoglobin can be bleeding: uterine, hemorrhoidal, gastric. In women, the cause of low levels can be heavy and prolonged menstruation. This indicator also decreases in donors who donate blood frequently;
• Poor nutrition . The reason for the decrease in hemoglobin may be insufficient consumption of foods containing iron, a strict mono-diet or vegetarianism, because iron from plant foods is absorbed much worse than from foods of animal origin. Also, improper cooking (long-term boiling in an open pan) causes the level of iron in dishes to decrease. Accordingly, regular consumption of heavily digested foods can lead to a decrease in the level of indicators;
• Pregnancy . In this case, the woman’s blood volume increases, and the fetus’s need for iron increases. The maximum level of hemoglobin in pregnant women decreases by 32-34 weeks;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract : atrophic gastritis, enteritis. The reason for the decrease in hemoglobin is that iron and vitamin B12 are no longer absorbed by the body, as their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract is impaired;
• Autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis;
• Gastric resection : when part of the stomach is removed, iron begins to be poorly absorbed;
• Copper deficiency. It is used by the body for normal hemoglobin synthesis and participates as a catalyst in the iron reaction;
• Living in areas with poor ecology;
• In women, a decrease can be triggered by frequent or multiple pregnancies;
• Chronic infectious diseases : dysentery, salmonellosis, tuberculosis, pneumonia. At the same time, the body’s need for iron increases, but red blood cells are destroyed early;
• Helminthic infestations. For example, a parasite such as the broad tapeworm absorbs large amounts of vitamin B12, which leads to a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
• Malignant formations. Most often, the level decreases with malignant neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract, because in this case the body does not absorb iron well or hidden blood loss occurs;
• Blood diseases : leukemia, hematosarcoma, lymphosarcoma. In this case, hematopoietic functions are disrupted, which causes a decrease in hemoglobin levels;
• In newborns, the cause of low hemoglobin may be underdevelopment of the bone marrow (in premature infants), placental abruption or rupture of the umbilical cord during childbirth.

Disease in women

This phenomenon is extremely rarely seen in women .

If the result exceeds the norm by 10-20 units, then this is allowed, but if they increase by more than twenty units, you should be wary and undergo an examination.

This increase can be caused by problems with the heart, cardiopulmonary failure, blood diseases and even cancer.

Hemoglobin also often changes during pregnancy, and in this case it is worth especially carefully monitoring blood counts, because their deviations from the norm can negatively affect the unborn baby.

Why does it increase in men?

Representatives of the stronger sex are more likely than women to encounter high levels of this protein. If the indicator is exceeded by more than 20 units, this is considered a deviation . Among the reasons that can lead to increased hemoglobin in representatives of the stronger sex may be the following:

1. Excessively strong and prolonged loads. Because of this, hemoglobin is often elevated all the time in climbers and cyclists.
2. Long-term and constant smoking. Due to smoking, tissues often suffer from oxygen starvation, as a result of which the concentration of hemoglobin also increases. Clots and even blood clots may appear in blood vessels. Impaired functioning of the digestive organs. The male body needs vitamin B12, which is not fully absorbed by the body. A lack of it can cause pernicious anemia. In the case of such a disease, hemoglobin increases and the number of red blood cells becomes lower.
3. The disease of high hemoglobin is called erythremia. We can also talk about erythrocytosis - an increase in the volume of red blood cells. They appear as a result of diseases of the kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, and congenital heart pathologies.

Why does hemoglobin fall in the blood of men and women, and in older people?

The level of hemoglobin in elderly people, young people and children differs significantly, so the norm for one cannot be transferred to the norm for another. This fact is taken into account by specialists when deciphering blood tests of pensioners.

If a low-level diagnosis is made, the next step is to determine the cause of this pathology.

In older people, both men and women, the problem can develop as a result of:

• Monotonous and unbalanced diet, which lacks useful elements;
• Development of severe infectious diseases;
• Regular or heavy bleeding, after which it is difficult for the body to recover;
• Systematic consumption of alcohol in large quantities;
• Chronic enteritis;
• Staying on a drip for too long.

First of all, when indicators decrease, it is important to adjust the patient’s diet and add foods that contain iron. In addition, for older people, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible at the first signs for examination.

Let's watch a video about why hemoglobin in the blood drops:

How does it manifest itself and why is it dangerous?

Increased hemoglobin is, as a rule, a consequence of the presence of certain pathologies in the body. This can manifest itself as a delay in intellectual development, constant dizziness, and a disorder of cognitive abilities.

Due to impaired blood circulation in the cerebral zone, confusion is possible.

If we are talking about peripheral cyanosis, it can manifest itself as blue skin at the ends of the fingers and on the lips.

With impaired blood circulation and improper blood clotting, this spreads throughout the body. As a result, blood clots may occur. Complications include tumors, temporary loss of hearing and vision, and causeless numbness of the limbs.

, the shape of red blood cells can change . As a result, sickle cell anemia is possible. And then the cells take on the shape of a crescent. Since high hemoglobin is almost always the cause of some kind of disease, then, as a rule, measures to reduce it are not taken at first. It is necessary to establish the cause of this pathology and begin its treatment, and as a result, hemoglobin will normalize itself.

Why is a long-term decrease in hemoglobin dangerous?

Low hemoglobin interferes with the transport of oxygen to tissues and internal organs. As a result, hypoxia develops, which is fraught with the following disorders in the body:

• slow blood circulation;
• changes in the structures of cell membranes;
• decreased synthesis of hormones and enzymes.

If an extremely low concentration of protein in the blood persists for a long time, then there is a high probability of developing more serious consequences. These include:

• disruption of the functioning of organs and systems of the body;
• overload of the heart muscle (myocardium);
• increased thrombosis;
• deterioration of the immune system;
• deterioration of attention and memory.

During pregnancy, the fetus is the first to suffer. A lack of iron-containing protein in a pregnant woman’s body can lead to the development of intrauterine pathologies in the child, premature birth and even miscarriage.